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A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Polymer Composites and Nanocomposites".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2023) | Viewed by 20254

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Florian Puch

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Guest Editor

1. Plastics Technology Group, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Technische Universität Ilmenau, Gustav-Kirchhoff-Str. 5, 98693 Ilmenau, Germany
2. Thüringisches Institut für Textil- und Kunststoff-Forschung, e. V. Breitscheidstraße 97, 07407 Rudolstadt, Germany
Interests: fiber reinforced polymer composites; polymer processing; resin transfer molding; compounding; injection molding; reactive extrusion

Prof. Dr. Bodo Fiedler

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Guest Editor

Institute of Polymer and Composites, Hamburg University of Technology (TUHH), Denickestrasse 15, D-21073 Hamburg, Germany
Interests: fiber polymer composites; thin-ply composites; nanomaterials; environmental impact; durability; life time prediction; damage modelling
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Lightweight construction drives innovation in many industrial sectors and features crucial technologies to achieve climate and sustainability goals. Due to the lower mass of lightweight materials, less energy is required during their use, resulting in reduced CO2 emissions. An important class of lightweight materials is fiber-reinforced polymer composites. Fiber-reinforced polymer composites combine low weight with excellent mechanical properties, high durability, stiffness, damping properties, flexural strength, and resistance to corrosion, wear, impact, and fire. Hence, fiber-reinforced composites are found in applications in mechanical, construction, aerospace, automobile, biomedical, marine, and many other manufacturing industries.

The properties of fiber-reinforced composites depend on the constituents, the applied processing technologies, and the component design. In these three areas, a multitude of approaches are available to derive the optimum solution for a particular application. Furthermore, sustainable approaches play an increasingly vital role starting at but not limited to the design, material selection (e.g., natural fibers or matrices derived from renewable resources), processing and recycling, as well as modeling of fiber-reinforced polymer composites.

Consequently, the aim of this Special Issue is to highlight new developments in fiber-reinforced polymer composites.

Prof. Dr. Florian Puch
Prof. Dr. Bodo Fiedler
Guest Editors

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Keywords

carbon fiber-reinforced composites
glass fiber-reinforced composites
natural fiber-reinforced composites
thermoplastic fiber-reinforced composites
thermoset fiber-reinforced composites
processing of fiber-reinforced composites
manufacturing of fiber-reinforced composites
modeling of fiber-reinforced composites
design of fiber-reinforced composites
recycling of fiber-reinforced composites

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Published Papers (10 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 26090 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Experimental Global Warming Potential-Weighted Specific Stiffness Comparison among Different Natural and Synthetic Fibers in a Composite Component Manufactured by Tailored Fiber Placement

by Gustavo de Abreu Cáceres, Tales de Vargas Lisbôa, Cindy Elschner and Axel Spickenheuer

Polymers 2024, 16(6), 726; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16060726 - 7 Mar 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1517

Abstract

This work aims to evaluate experimentally different fibers and resins in a topologically optimized composite component. The selected ones are made of carbon, glass, basalt, flax, hemp, and jute fibers. Tailored Fiber Placement (TFP) was used to manufacture the textile preforms, which were infused with two different epoxy resins: a partly biogenic and a fully petro-based one. The main objective is to evaluate and compare the absolute and specific mechanical performance of synthetic and natural fibers within a component framework as a base for improving assessments of sustainable endless-fiber reinforced composite material. Furthermore, manufacturing aspects regarding the different fibers are also considered in this work. In assessing the efficiency of the fiber-matrix systems, both the specific stiffness and the specific stiffness relative to carbon dioxide equivalents (

{CO}_{2}^{eq .}

) as measures for the global warming potential (GWP) are taken into account for comparison. The primary findings indicate that basalt and flax fibers outperform carbon fibers notably in terms of specific stiffness weighted by

{CO}_{2}^{eq .}

. Additionally, the selection of epoxy resin significantly influences the assessment of sustainable fiber-plastic composites. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Developments in Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Composites)

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24 pages, 15543 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Influence of Processing Conditions on the Generation of Surface Defects in a Heat-and-Cool Hybrid Injection Molding Technique for Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Thermoplastic Sheets and Development of a Suitable Mold Heated by Far-Infrared Radiation

by Yasuhiko Murata, Ryunosuke Machiya and Takuma Komori

Polymers 2023, 15(22), 4437; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15224437 - 16 Nov 2023

Viewed by 1362

Abstract

Recently, hybrid injection molding—a type of overmolding technology in which a short carbon fiber-reinforced thermoplastic is injection molded over a compression-molded carbon fiber-reinforced thermoplastic (CFRTP) sheet—has been introduced. A heat-and-cool hybrid injection molding technique has also been introduced for practical use. The technique yields high-quality molded products. This is achieved through the heating of the mold cavity surface to a temperature higher than the melting point of the base polymer impregnated into the carbon fiber fabric. However, few experimental analyses of the molding phenomena in heat-and-cool hybrid injection molding have been reported. In particular, the effect of the processing conditions on the transfer of the mold cavity surface shape to the CFRTP sheet has not been clarified in detail. Therefore, it has been impossible to take extensive measures when defects are generated in molded products. In this study, a mold is designed and fabricated for use with far-infrared radiation heating, a variotherm technology that is suitable for the experimental analysis of the heat-and-cool hybrid injection molding phenomenon. In particular, a mold is designed and fabricated to continuously perform the following three processes using only an injection molding machine: (1) the radiation heating of both the CFRTP sheet and the mold cavity surface using a far-infrared radiation heater, (2) the compression molding of the CFRTP sheet, and (3) the injection molding of the melt. The effects of the heating conditions of the mold and the injection molding process conditions on the appearance characteristics of the molded products are clarified using this mold and a far-infrared radiation heater. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Developments in Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Composites)

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10 pages, 2303 KiB

Open AccessCommunication

Development of New Hybrid Composites for High-Temperature Applications

by Rubén Seoane-Rivero, Lorena Germán, Fernando Santos and Koldo Gondra

Polymers 2023, 15(22), 4380; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15224380 - 10 Nov 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1335

Abstract

Nowadays, in the automation and aircraft industries, there is a challenge in minimizing the weight of components of vehicles without losing the original properties. In this study, we fabricate hybrid composites based on fiber metal laminates; these materials could be promising composites for high-performance applications. This work is focused on analyzing the effect of high temperature (175 °C) on the mechanical properties of these kind of materials, by introducing NaOH and silane adhesion treatments between metal and prepreg layers and by using vacuum molding processes. Fabricated FML (NaOH treatment) shows a significant improvement in tensile strength in comparison with the ARALL and GLARE reported by ESA. Moreover, developed FMLs at 175 °C kept more than 70% of their tensile strength and modulus and kept 4% of tensile strain at room temperature. The prominent conclusion achieved in this work has been that excellent candidates have been obtained for a wide range of applications, including but not limited to space and aerospace applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Developments in Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Composites)

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14 pages, 4224 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Study of Damage Prediction of Carbon Fiber Tows Using Eddy Current Measurement

by Jeong U Roh, Hyein Kwon, Sangjin Lee, Jae Chung Ha, Seong Baek Yang, Haeseong Lee and Dong-Jun Kwon

Polymers 2023, 15(20), 4182; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15204182 - 21 Oct 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1350

Abstract

When manufacturing fiber-reinforced composites, it is possible to improve the quality of fiber steel fire and reduce the number of cracks in the finished product if it is possible to quickly identify the defects of the fiber tow. Therefore, in this study, we developed a method to identify the condition of carbon fiber tow using eddy current test (ECT), which is used to improve the quality of composite materials. Using the eddy current detection sensor, we checked the impedance results according to the condition of the CF tow. We found that the materials of the workbench used in the experiment greatly affected the ECT results, so it is necessary to use a material with a non-conductive and smooth surface. We evaluated the impedance results of the carbon fiber at 2 mm intervals using the ECT sensor and summarized the impedance results according to the fiber width direction, presenting the condition of the section as a constant of variation (CV). If the condition of the carbon fiber tow was unstable, the deviation of the CV per section was large. In particular, the deviation of the CV per section was more than 0.15 when the arrangement of the fibers was changed, foreign substances were formed on the surface of the fibers, and damage occurred in the direction of the fiber width of more than 4 mm, so it was easy to evaluate the quality on CF tow. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Developments in Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Composites)

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21 pages, 15763 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Characterization of Polymeric Composites for Hydrogen Tank

by Waseem Gul, Yu En Xia, Pierre Gérard and Sung Kyu Ha

Polymers 2023, 15(18), 3716; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15183716 - 10 Sep 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3269

Abstract

Carbon neutrality has led to a surge in the popularity of hydrogen tanks in recent years. However, designing high-performance tanks necessitates the precise determination of input material properties. Unfortunately, conventional characterization methods often underestimate these material properties. To address this limitation, the current research introduces alternative designs of ring tensile specimens, which enable accurate and reliable characterization of filament-wound structures. The advantages and disadvantages of these alternative designs are thoroughly discussed, considering both numerical simulations and experimental investigations. Moreover, the proposed ring tensile methods are applied to characterize thermoplastic composites for hydrogen storage tanks. The results indicate that the mechanical strengths and stiffness of carbon fiber-reinforced thermoplastic Elium^® 591 composites closely match those of epoxy-based composites. This newfound accuracy in measurement is expected to contribute significantly to the development of recyclable hydrogen tanks. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Developments in Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Composites)

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12 pages, 38944 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Fiber Misalignment and Environmental Temperature on the Compressive Behavior of Fiber Composites

by Jonas Drummer, Felwa Tafesh and Bodo Fiedler

Polymers 2023, 15(13), 2833; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15132833 - 27 Jun 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1420

Abstract

This experimental study investigated how defects, in particular fiber misalignment, affect the mechanical behavior of glass fiber composites (GFRP) under compressive loading. GFRP cross-plies with three different types of fiber misalignment, namely a fold, a wave, and an in-plane undulation, were fabricated using the resin transfer molding process. The compressive tests were performed at four different temperatures, in order to investigate the role of a change in the matrix properties on the strength of the composite. The experiments showed that the defects, especially at lower temperatures, had a significant impact on the mechanical properties of the composite, exceeding the proportion of the defects inside the composite. With increasing temperature, the damage mechanism changed from fiber-dominated to matrix-dominated and, in doing so, decreased the significance of fiber misalignment for the mechanical behavior. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Developments in Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Composites)

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21 pages, 8193 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Flexural Behaviour of GFRP-Softwood Sandwich Panels for Prefabricated Building Construction

by Ahmed D. Almutairi, Yu Bai and Wahid Ferdous

Polymers 2023, 15(9), 2102; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15092102 - 28 Apr 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2350

Abstract

Studies have shown that the proper selection of core materials in sandwich structures improves the overall structural performance in terms of bending stiffness and strength. The core materials used in such systems, such as foam, corrugated, and honeycomb, are frequently applied in aerospace engineering. However, they are a costly option for civil engineering applications. This paper investigates the bending performance of the proposed GFRP softwood sandwich beams assembled using pultruded GFRP with adhesive connection methods for potential applications in prefabricated building construction. The ultimate load capacity, load–deflection responses, failure modes, bending stiffness, load–axial-strain behaviour, and degree of composite action were experimentally evaluated. The effects of varying shear-span-to-depth ratios a/d between 2 and 6.5, as well as different timber fibre directions of the softwood core, on the overall structural performance were clarified. The results showed that changing the timber fibres’ orientation from vertical to longitudinal shifted the failure mode from a brittle to progressive process. Moreover, the adhesive bonding was able to provide full composite action until the failure occurred. Finally, numerical modelling was developed to understand failure loads, deformation, failure modes, and strain responses, and to evaluate bending stiffness and composite action. The results showed satisfactory agreement with the experiments. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Developments in Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Composites)

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24 pages, 13951 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Flame Treatment on Bonding Performance of GF/EP Pultrusion Sheets Used for VARI Process

by Yu Zhang, Yundong Ji, Dongfeng Cao, Hongyuan Zhang, Hongda Chen and Haixiao Hu

Polymers 2023, 15(5), 1266; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15051266 - 2 Mar 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1896

Abstract

This paper presents an easy and low-cost flame treatment method to improve the bonding performance of GF/EP (Glass Fiber-Reinforced Epoxy) pultrusion plates, which are using widely for large size wind blades. In order to explore the effect of flame treatment on the bonding performance of the precast GF/EP pultruded sheet vs. the infusion plate, the GF/EP pultruded sheets were treated with different flame treatment cycles and were embedded in the fiber fabrics during the vacuum-assisted resin infusion process (VARI). The bonding shear strengths were measured by tensile shear tests. It is found that after 1, 3, 5, and 7 flame treatments, the tensile shear strength between the GF/EP pultrusion plate and infusion plate increased by 8.0%, 13.3%, 22.44%, and −2.1%, respectively. This indicates that the maximum tensile shear strength can be obtained after five times of flame treatment. In addition, DCB and ENF tests were also adopted to characterize the fracture toughness of the bonding interface with the optimal flame treatment. It is found that the optimal treatment gives increments of 21.84% and 78.36% for G I C and G II C, respectively. Finally, the surficial topography of the flame-treated GF/EP pultruded sheets were characterized by optical microscopy, SEM, contact angle test, FTIR, and XPS. The results show that flame treatment plays an impact on the interfacial performance through the combination of physical meshing locking and chemical bonding mechanism. Proper flame treatment would remove the weak boundary layer and mold release agent on the surface of the GF/EP pultruded sheet, etch the bonding surface and improve the oxygen-containing polar groups, such as C–O and O–C=O, to improve the surface roughness and surface tension coefficient of pultruded sheet to enhance the bonding performance. Excessive flame treatment destroys the integrity of epoxy matrix on bonding surface which results into the exposure of the glass fiber, and the carbonization of release agent and resin on the surface loosen the surficial structure, which reduces the bonding properties. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Developments in Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Composites)

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15 pages, 1385 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Study of Candelilla Wax Concentrations on the Physical Properties of Edible Nanocoatings as a Function of Support Polysaccharides

by Claudia I. García-Betanzos, Humberto Hernández-Sánchez, Sergio A. Ojeda-Piedra, Araceli Ulloa-Saavedra, David Quintanar-Guerrero and María L. Zambrano-Zaragoza

Polymers 2023, 15(5), 1209; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15051209 - 27 Feb 2023

Viewed by 1899

Abstract

Solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN) based on candelilla wax were prepared using the hot homogenization technique. The resulting suspension had monomodal behavior with a particle size of 809–885 nm; polydispersity index < 0.31, and zeta potential of −3.5 mV 5 weeks after monitoring. The films were prepared with SLN concentrations of 20 and 60 g/L, each with a plasticizer concentration of 10 and 30 g/L; the polysaccharide stabilizers used were either xanthan gum (XG) or carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) at 3 g/L. The effects of temperature, film composition, and relative humidity on the microstructural, thermal, mechanical, and optical properties, as well as the water vapor barrier, were evaluated. Higher amounts of SLN and plasticizer gave the films greater strength and flexibility due to the influence of temperature and relative humidity. The water vapor permeability (WVP) was lower when 60 g/L of SLN was added to the films. The arrangement of the SLN in the polymeric networks showed changes in the distribution as a function of the concentrations of the SLN and plasticizer. The total color difference (ΔE) was greater when the content of the SLN was increased, with values of 3.34–7.93. Thermal analysis showed an increase in the melting temperature when a higher SLN content was used, whereas a higher plasticizer content reduced it. Edible films with the most appropriate physical properties for the packaging, shelf-life extension, and improved quality conservation of fresh foods were those made with 20 g/L of SLN, 30 g/L of glycerol, and 3 g/L of XG. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Developments in Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Composites)

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16 pages, 4106 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Development of an Atomic-Oxygen-Erosion-Resistant, Alumina-Fiber-Reinforced, Fluorinated Polybenzoxazine Composite for Low-Earth Orbital Applications

by Leah Oppenheimer, Malavika Ramkumar, Irlaine Machado, Chris Scott, Scott Winroth and Hatsuo Ishida

Polymers 2023, 15(1), 112; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15010112 - 27 Dec 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2079

Abstract

An atomic-oxygen-erosion-resistant fluorinated benzoxazine resin and composite were developed. The benzoxazine resin, abbreviated as “BAF-oda-fu,” consists of four benzoxazine rings, and was synthesized from bisphenol AF (BAF), 4,4′-oxydianiline (oda), furfurylamine (fu), and paraformaldehyde. The resin was characterized by infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (¹H NMR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). An analysis of the solvent-washed product showed a technical grade purity (>95%) and a yield of approximately 85%. Subsequent polymerization of the resin was successfully performed by heating step-wise and opening the benzoxazine rings to form a crosslinked network. Thermal analyses showed a melting temperature of 115 °C and polymerization temperature of 238 °C, both being characteristic values of benzoxazine monomers. The benzoxazine resin was also blended with polyoctahedral sisesquoxane (POSS) and reinforced with alumina fibers. The Tg of the resin, as determined by DMA of the composite, could reach as high as 308 °C when post-curing and the POSS additive were utilized. The low-Earth orbit atomic-oxygen erosion rate was simulated by an RF plasma asher/etcher. The atomic-oxygen resistance of poly(BAF-oda-fu) fell along an established trend line based on its fluorine content. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Developments in Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Composites)

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